ABSTRACT
The goal of urban development appears around the world in a singular, growth-oriented fashion—like a single neon sign that blinks open, bright enough to be seen from space. Taking an interest in the dynamics of community, as this fix sets in, provides an opportunity to redirect the social practice toward more pragmatic and potentially more progressive ends. Seeking a pragmatic utopia entails a shift in aspirations from grand ideals such as the classical liberal model of the Great Society—which, after all, may never support the kind of authenticity and freedom that pluralism requires—to that of John Dewey's Great Community. The piecemeal and practical-every-step-of-the-way approach to the new urban transformation is no ideal social scenario, but from a pragmatic view, any idyllic neo-communitarianism seems a long way off. The chapter also presents some closing thoughts on the key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book.
